The Naked Truth
by laughing senseless
Summary: When Todd is in trouble, his new friends come to his aid. Friends are are a wonderful thing to have, and Neil and Charlie will protect Todd from stupid bullies and from anything- or anyone -else that makes him uncomfortable. Oneshot. Pre-slash if you squint, but it's really just friendship.


**Hi! I've been wanting to write a Dead Poets Society fic for a long time and finally managed to! I ****hope you enjoy! It's set towards the beginning of their school year.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own this movie or its characters. I truly wish I did. **

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"That was wonderful." Mr. Keating said brightly, "Mr. Anderson, as usual, you may leave a bit early to shower and change. The rest of you help me clean up."

The boys began collecting the soccer balls, groaning in mock exasperation, as Todd scurried away. They joked around, discussing the verses they had all shouted out while they had been kicking the ball. It was one of their favorite activites and they all looked forward to when they would play soccer combined wth poetry. It happened usually at least once a week, and the boys all reveled in the fresh autumn air instead of being in a classroom. The soccer balls were soon all collected, and the students began walking away, each saying a brief goodbye as they parted from Mr. Keating for the day.

"Neil?" Mr. Keating spoke as he started to leave after saying goodbye to him. Neil waved the other boys off to go ahead to the showers and then the changing room without him as he stayed behind.

"Yes, Captain?" Neil asked cheekily, provoking a chuckle from his teacher.

"Carpe Diem. Do something." Mr. Keating grinned, his eyes twinkling as he uttered no more. He began walking away, lugging the net of soccer balls behind him as he went.

"Sir?" Neil called after him, confused at the vagueness of his words.

Mr. Keating paused, turned his head, and said, "If you don't like something, then do something about it. If you do like something, then do that something. You will find that you'll have fewer regrets if you abide by that, Mr. Perry."

Neil's brow furrowed, and he pondered the advice as Mr. Keating began whistling and walking away. He stood there for a few minutes, trying to decipher what it was that Mr. Keating had tried to imply exactly; Neil knew the general idea, but he had a feeling that Mr. Keating was addressing a specific topic he wanted Neil to pick up on and change. He shook his head and went to the changing room to change out of his dirty gym clothes, deciding to skip his shower and just change into his clean uniform. He walked in to the sound of snickering in the nearly empty locker room. Most of the boys were in the shower, and the malicious noise caught Neil's attention right away.

"Why so shy, Anderson? Have something to hide?" A boy was saying, leaning against the bathroom stall that Todd surely had closed himself in yet again. His friend was fidgeting with the door handle, muttering something under his breath that Neil couldn't quite make out. He began to move closer to them. "Why are you allowed to leave early to get dressed before everyone else? What are you hiding, Anderson?" A click sounded, and the two boys looked at each other in glee. "Guess we'll get to see, now, won't we!" Neil immediately shot forward, realizing what was happening, and banged the door shut as they started to pry the broken lock open.

"Why the hell are you two doing this?" Neil asked furiously. Sure, Todd was so shy that he acted a tad bit antisocial at times, but he had never done anything remotely close to upsetting anyone or offending them. It angered Neil that these two boys would pick on his silent roommate who would never stand up for himself.

"It was just for a laugh." One mumbled, scratching the back of his head. "Just wanted to scare Anderson a bit, you know? For some fun."

"No. I don't. I can't fathom what would be entertaining about exploiting Todd's insecurities." Neil's eyes narrowed as he scolded them harshly. "Why do you two want to see him naked so badly anyways? Trying to sneak a peek so you can jack off to an innocent boy, are you? Perverts. Leave Todd alone and go back to your porn."

The two boys began protesting, one angrily and one much too defensively. Neil raised an eyebrow as he realized his sarcastic barb had actually struck the truth.

"Hey, you heard what Neil said," Charlie spoke up suddenly, having come back from the showers early to change and seeing the confrontation. A towel was wrapped around his waist and he folded his arms across his wet chest. "Scram and get dressed, you perverts. And don't you mess with Todd anymore."

The two boys shoved their way past Charlie to start leaving the changing room, glaring at Neil and Charlie for spoiling their fun and embarrassing them as they turned the corner and were out of sight.

"Are you alright, Todd?" Neil asked, knocking on the door he held closed and waiting for an answer.

"I-I-I, t-t-they, my, my, my-"

Charlie sighed before pushing Neil out of the way and yanking the door open.

"Charlie!" Neil cried out angrily, worried for how Todd would react.

Todd yelped and drew his large towel tighter around his naked body, ducking his head to stare at his bare feet with crimson cheeks as he only managed to conceal his lower body and his stomach. The two boys sucked in a breath at the sight of the white scars that twisted over Todd's skin. His torso was generously marked with the white lines. Water dripped from his hair and fell down his scarred skin in rivers, only bringing more attention the blemishes.

"What happened to your uniform?" Charlie asked brusquely, decently not verbally acknowledging Todd's scars as he noticed there was nothing for Todd to change into- not his dirty gym clothes or his clean uniform.

"I-I-I-I, I, th-they..." Todd broke off his surprised stuttering and bit his lip, merely opting to shake his head as he continued staring at the floor in shame.

"Todd?" Neil asked softly, gently placing his hand on Todd's bare shoulder. This caused him to finally look up, his eyes suspiciously wet as they focused on Neil as he removed his hand. "Todd, what happened?"

Todd only looked at him silently with moist wide eyes filled with devastation.

Charlie sighed before he unwrapped his towel off himself and placed it on Todd's naked shoulders. "Better?" He asked seriously, and Neil silently thanked him for not making this worse for Todd and for being sensitive. Neil would have slapped him if he had cracked any of his usual stupid jokes right now.

Todd avoided his gaze but nodded uncertainly. "They- they swiped my clothes from under t-t-the stall. And t-threw them away somewhere. Said, said I'd never find them. And th-they were going to, to, to see, and I-I-I.."

"Do you want to wear my uniform?" Neil offered as Todd trembled. He nodded his head. Neil shared a look with Charlie before going to grab it. Charlie held the door closed for Todd to prevent the other boys from seeing when they started coming back from the showers.

"Damn it!" Neil shouted, staring at his empty cubby where his uniform was supposed to be. He checked Charlie's, but his clothes were also missing- Charlie's uniform, the dirty gym clothes, and even his socks and shoes. Theirs were the only cubbies missing clothes besides the two jerks that had left, and on top of that, students began coming in the room boisterously. Neil knocked on the door, and Charlie let him squeeze in through a slim crack of the door.

"They nicked our clothes." Neil said, once inside the bathroom stall. "I'm sorry, Todd." As an afterthought, looking at Charlie's naked body, he added, "Sorry, Charlie."

Todd paled, but Charlie just shrugged angrily. "I'll give them what they deserve, those fuckers."

Todd flinched at the curse, and Charlie sighed.

"Well," He said unhappily, "I guess Todd and I are going naked then."

Todd gripped the towels with white knuckles, not saying a word.

Neil ran his hand through his hair in exasperation.

"Well, the only thing we can do now is go back to our rooms and grab clothes." Charlie said, his lips pursed. "At least Neil is dressed in his gym clothes. I guess Todd and I will just go in towels and hope Nolan doesn't see."

"I-I-I c-c-can't." Todd whispered, his face ashen and horrified.

Neil pitied how utterly terrified Todd must have been, and he silently cursed those boys for putting poor Todd through this.

"What if I let you keep my towel?" Charlie offered quietly.

"But you'll be naked!" Neil exclaimed, shocked by the absurd suggestion.

"But I'm Charlie Dalton." Charlie grinned confidently. "People won't think twice about it. Except to be jealous of how much more endowed I am than they are."

Neil shook his head, grinning fondly at his friend. "Todd? Would that be alright?"

He still looked unsure and pale.

"We'll be there to escort you to your room." Charlie pointed out, "Do you think you can manage to make it there?"

"I-I suppose." Todd murmured softly.

"Good." Charlie clapped Todd on the back, causing him to startle. "Let's go then. And remember to breathe, Todd." He quipped.

Neil opened the stall, and at first no one noticed them leaving. But then Cameron shouted, "Charlie! Why are you leaving naked?!" The boys around turned to stare, their jaws dropped open. Pitts guffawed loudly at the sight of Charlie, who had begun strutting under their gazes to pull the attention on himself. But Cameron caught sight of the other two boys before they could escape unnoticed. "And what- is that Neil's _roommate?!" __  
_

_"Todd?" _The boys all gaped, and Todd froze. He looked at Neil in panic as the boys began shooting off multiple questions. His mouth started opening and closely silently, as if trying to ask for help but unable to speak.

"Shut up!" Neil snapped at the boys, and they fell silent at Neil's unusually harsh tone.

"Meeks," Charlie said sternly, "Give me your towel."

"What?" Meeks looked away from Todd and at looked incredulously at him instead.

Charlie merely extended his hand out expectantly, and Meeks hurriedly gave him the towel wrapped around his shoulders. Charlie took the towel and placed it over Todd's head, obscuring Todd's frightened gaze from the world.

Todd blinked as softness covered over him and brought a shield of darkness over him too. Charlie grabbed Todd's waist to guide him and beckoned Neil to do the same to Tood's other side.

"Well, goodbye, gentlemen." Charlie called over his shoulder. "I'm sure," He spoke carefully, "This particular story won't be discussed."

They walked swiftly through the corridors, keeping their hands on Todd to help him and offer comfort. They stilled as footsteps suddenly rounded the corner, and a teacher stood before them. But they sighed in relief as they saw their Captain.

Mr. Keating raised his eyebrows. "Well, hello, Mr. Dalton, Mr. Perry, and...?"

Charlie and Neal looked at each other and both kept quiet.

"Well, based on his silence, I'm assuming I'm in the presence of Mr. Anderson." Mr. Keating said warmly. "Hello, Todd." Mr. Keating stuck his hands in his pockets and smiled. "Well, if you'll be going on your way now, I'd avoid the left hallway. It has a certain staff member that would object to such blatant nudity." Mr. Keating gave a wink. "Hurry along now, boys."

"Thanks, Captain!" Neil grinned, and pulled Todd after him. They nearly flew up the stairs in the hopes to avoid running into someone else and hurriedly dashed into Neil and Todd's room with a slam of the door; Charlie ran down to his own room quickly instead.

"How about that?" Neil laughed, flopping down on his bed.

Todd removed the towel off of his head hesitantly. He clutched onto the two towels wrapped around him and let that one fall to the floor as he made to go grab clothes. Todd selected his pajamas and went to head to the bathroom to change.

"Todd." Neil said suddenly, his eyes somber.

Todd shook his head furiously. "I'm sorry." He muttered quietly. "I can't. I-I, I'll tell you soon. But not right now."

"And Charlie?"

Todd nodded slowly. "Yeah."

"Todd."

"Yeah?" He murmured unsurely.

"You can change in here. I promise you can trust me, Todd."

He looked at Neil in fear, but his shaky hands let the towels loose. They fell to the floor, revealing Todd's scarred body once more. Neil stared sadly at the white marks, but offered a comforting smile to Todd.

Todd's trembling fingers pulled on his underwear before putting on his pajamas.

"Are you not going to finish classes today?" Neil asked, seeing the sleep clothes.

"Could you, could you tell them I feel sick?" Todd said, sitting on his bed and pulling the covers around him.

"Yeah, Todd." Neil answered, his lips raising in fondness. "I'll bring you back some dinner too. How does that sound?"

"Wonderful." Todd laughed quietly. "Thank you, Neil."

"You're welcome." Neil responded, knowing that Todd wasn't merely thanking him just for the offer, knowing that Todd was unable to put into verbal words how much this had meant to him.

Todd laid down and pulled the covers up to his neck. He was soon peacefully sleeping, and Neil smiled down softly at the sight, convinced Todd would be okay, and he started changing into a clean uniform.

The door opened just as Neil finished pulling buttoning his shirt, and Neil looked up to see a freshly dressed Charlie in the doorway.

"How is he?" Charlie whispered, noticing that Todd was asleep.

"He's going to be fine." Neil answered. "Thank you for helping him."

Charlie gave an authentically gentle smile. "He needed me. He needed us."

Neil looked back at the slumbering Todd. "Yeah. He doesn't realize how desperately he beeds someone to protect him. He thinks he's been managing fine all by himself, but he needs us, Charlie."

"I know, Neil." Charlie said softly. "I know."

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**Thanks for reading! Please review! ^-^**

** I'm going to be writing a sequel series to this that contains slash, and I'll post a chapter here to let you know when I do. So follow this story if you want to be aware of when I start the series. ^-^ **

**Have a happy New Year!**


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